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"There is a terrible desperation to the increasingly pathetic rationalizations from the climate denial camp. This comes as no surprise if you take the long view; every single undone paradigm in history has died kicking and screaming, and our current petroleum paradigm 🐉🦕🦖 is no different. The trick here is trying to figure out how we all make it to the new ⚡ paradigm without dying ☠️ right along with the old one, kicking, screaming or otherwise." - William Rivers Pitt

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Millions of French citizens have been violently demonstrating across France for the last month.

They are known as the gilets jaunes, or "yellow jackets". The protestors wear the yellow high-viz jacket, that is common on building sites and airports.

France: Understanding the Gilets Jaunes Uprising

by Rex

Mon, December 10, 2018

SNIPPET 1:The vast majority haven't been told the truth about life for ordinary citizens, in France. As a result, they don’t understand the significance of the violent ‘gilets jaunes’ protests across the country. Having lived in France for years, REX explains why these are the most important protests in France since 1968 - and likely a beacon for citizens all across Europe.

SNIPPET 2:In other words - why are millions of French citizens on the rampage, right now?

Because there’s a real France, that few ever see.

The France of the gilets jaunes. Or as we might label them, les deplorables.

And they are in a state of fury at a ruling class who not only let the population suffer, while enjoying a life of luxury and wealth, but who also blame ordinary people for their own suffering.

SNIPPET 3:

The French Ruling Class

Many still understand France through the lens of Vogue magazine covers: a nation of affluent, happy people who live in elegant homes, with endless holidays, wine and food.

A 24/7 utopia of chic, elegance and style.

Important to note: that France does exist. It is the world of the French ruling class, less than 1% of the population.

This small group of citizens have dominated the business, banking, legal and political scenes for decades.

The ruling class comes from a small group of grandes ecoles, or elite colleges. There are only 3 or 4. The top of the top? L’Ecole d’Administration Nationale (ENA).

Emmanuel Macron’s journey is typical of the ruliing class. He completed a Master's of Public Affairs at Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (called "Sciences Po"), the #2 elite college, before graduating from ENA in 2004, age 27. He then worked as a senior civil servant at the Inspectorate General of Finances (The Treasury), before getting a high paid gig ad an investment banker at Rothschild & Cie Banque.

See how fast Macron worked his way into the senior civil servant position in the Treasury, before flipping into an exclusive investment bank? That is normal in France. It's a never-ending protected cycle of patronage, promotion, favors and cronyism.

Agelbert NOTE: IOW, it's the CAPITALISM, stupid!

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"Capitalist ideology claims that the world is perfectly ordered and everybody is in their place (i..e. everybody gets what they deserve). This self legitmating aspect of Capitalism is Socially Catastrophic. This is the Victorian view of the world." Rob Urie - Author " Zen Economics"

Proverbs 1 KJV31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Many of the Yellow Vests have flat-out rejected Macron's proposals, according to European-Views.

He is trying to do a pirouette to land back on his feet but we can see that he isn’t sincere, that it’s all smoke and mirrors,” said Jean-Marc, a car mechanic as a gathering of some 150 Yellow Vests in the southern town of Le Boulou.

“It’s just window dressing, for the media, some trivial measures, it almost seems like a provocation,” said Thierry, 55, a bicycle mechanic.

“All this is cinema, it doesn’t tackle the problems of substance. “We’re really wound up, we’re going back to battle,” he told AFP before taking part in blocking the Boulou turnpike on the French-Spanish border.

“Maybe if Macron had made this speech three weeks ago, it would have calmed the movement, but now it’s too late. For us, this speech is nonsense,” said Gaetan, 34, one of the “Rennes Lapins Jaunes” (Yellow Rabbits of Rennes).

One 35-year-old French official said that Macron "is being held hostage so he drops some crumbs."

Notice Macron's age, when he became a senior civil servant - 27 years of age. That’s important. The French elites are young men and women, who have been told that they are not just the intellectual creme de la creme, but morally superior. Better human beings, than their inferiors.These people are arrogant. But they are also ignorant. Raised in very wealthy families and cosseted in the networks those families are part of, they have no understanding of ordinary people and their real lives. Arrogance and ignorance is a very toxic mix. Macron’s tone-deaf appeal to climate change to justify the rise in diesel taxes, as well as his outrageous suggestion that ordinary French folk must drive less, is a classic example of the problem.

Just 27 years old. Young people without life experience, are suggestible. They believe what they are told by superiors and haven’t yet had time to test their opinions, against reality. Macron simply doesn’t have a clue.

What makes the gilets jaunes protests unique? Their main gripe? Elites blaming ordinary people, for problems that the same elites have caused. Elites never being held accountable for their incompetence. And elites never having to experience the conditions, that their failed ideas cause.

ABOUT THE PROGRAMThe Thom Hartmann Program is the leading progressive political talk radio show for political news and comment about Government politics, be it Liberal or Conservative, plus special guests and callers

ABOUT THE PROGRAMThe Thom Hartmann Program is the leading progressive political talk radio show for political news and comment about Government politics, be it Liberal or Conservative, plus special guests and callers

Port of Los Angeles On Track to Surpass 9 Million TEU This Year, But November Volumes Down

December 14, 2018 by Mike Schuler

Port of Los Angeles. Photo: trekandshoot / Shutterstock.com

America’s busiest container port, the Port of Los Angeles, processed 832,331 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in November 2018 putting it on track to once again surpass 9 million TEUs this year.

November marked the fifth consecutive month volumes exceeded 800,000 TEUs and tthe sixth busiest month in the 👀 Port’s history.

Compared to November 2017, however, November 2018 imports decreased 8.8 percent to 422,793 TEUs while exports also fell 14.3 percent to 152,527 TEUs. Exports of empty containers decreased 9.1 percent to 257,011 TEUs. Combined, November overall volumes were 832,331 TEUs, a 9.9 percent decrease compared to last year.

Last November’s 924,256 TEUs were an all-time record until it was surpassed in October 2018.

Year-to-date through November, overall volumes are 8,555,490 TEUs, nearly the same volumes compared to 2017 when the Port set an all-time annual cargo record.

“In November, we processed a number of high-volume vessels brought into service to facilitate the holiday season cargo surge and accommodate the push to import cargo before tariffs that were previously scheduled to increase on January 1st,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “As we enjoy the holiday season, I’m grateful to all of our labor workforce, customers and stakeholders for the role they play in moving such a high volume of trade. As 2019 approaches, we are committed to tackling the challenges and seizing the opportunities that await.”

The Eleonora Maersk, calling at the Port’s APM Terminals, set a new North American container handling record for a single cargo vessel with the off-loading and then loading of 27,846 TEUs.

November cargo volumes at neighboring Port of Long Beach rose to 621,835 TEU, a 1.5 percent increase compared to November 2017, which puts it on track to break its 7.5 million TEU record set in 2017. According to Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero, recent container trends, such as the growth of imports relative to exports and the large number of unloaded containers, illustrate how the higher tariffs imposed this year by the United States and China have impacted the flow of commerce.

International climate negotiations have failed to curb runaway greenhouse gas emissions. Consumer-focused solutions to climate change won't be enough to address the systemic nature of the crisis. So what do we do to halt global warming? Simon Pirani, author of Burning Up:A Global History ofFossil Fuel Consumption, discusses the prospects for transitioning to a post-fossil fuel world.

“A potential revolutionary situation exists in any country where the government consistently fails in its obligation to ensure a least a minimally decent standard of life for the great majority of its citizens." You will never guess who wrote this in 1961. BUT, when you find out, if you are a CAPITALIST "might is right" IDEOLOGUE, you will stubbornly (and erroneously) pretend it is only true in China, while ignoring the FACT that it is much more applicable in Europe and the USA today.

Agelbert NOTE: The following truth filled comment was made in regard to the avalanche of Trumptard 🐵🐒🦍 comments 🙉🙊 on the linked article:

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Expat 👍 😎

just to be clear: Trumpturds are whining like little b i t c h e s not because the Trump Organization(s) are corrupt, but because they believe the Clinton Foundation is corrupt and therefore Trump should be allowed to do whatever he wants until Bill and Hillary are in jail.

Can I come to your house and kill your kids because there are unsolved murders out there? Do I get a free pass?

Biased, blinkered, hypocritical little nazis.MAGA

Tue, 12/18/2018 - 11:25

Trump FoundationAgrees To Dissolve Amid A "ShockingPattern Of Illegality"